Face Threat Mitigation in Feedback: An Examination of Student Feedback Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Emotional Support

摘要

This experimental study examined the effects of an instructor’s face threat mitigationtactics on student self-efficacy for learning and perceived emotional support from theinstructor in a written feedback setting. Participants (N = 401) were randomlyassigned to one of two feedback scenarios in which level of face threat was manipulated.Student feedback anxiety was measured prior to being exposed to the feedbackscenario. Results indicate that high face threat mitigation is positively associated withstudent self-efficacy for learning and perceived emotional support from the instructor.Results also revealed that feedback anxiety predicts lower self-efficacy for learning andless perceived emotional support from the instructor. Implications regarding theory, themeasurement of feedback apprehension, and student–instructor communication arediscussed.